Block



no. s|9,599. f Patented' Feb. 14,1899, 1.. Moss.

WELSBAGI'I 0R SIMILAR INGANDESGENT LIGHT.-

(Appumiog am my so, 189e. mmm nu. 17, 1899.)

(lo Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LINCOLN MOSS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO VESLEY S.BLOCK, OF SAME PLACE.

WELSBACH OR SIMILAR INCANDESCENT LIGHT.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 619,599,.dated February14, 1.899.

Application filed July 30, 1896. Renewed January 17, 1899. Serial No.702,469. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, LINCOLN Moss, of Newv York city, State of New York,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Welsbach or SimilarIncandescent Lights, of which the following is a description, referringto the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The present improvements include both an improvement in the art orprocess of preparing the incandescents or mantles and improvements inthe mantles themselves and in the lamp as ready for use. In anotherapplication iiled and pending concurrently with this I have set forthmeans for preventing the shock or jars (to which the lamps aresubjected) from injuring the mantles.

The present invention contemplates an improved mantle and a process offorming in such a way that the mantle of itself is 'able to resist muchgreater jars and vibrations than heretofore and can be handled with farless danger of injury.

The invention is of so simple a nature that I will explain it inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l shows aWelsbach or other incan descent lamp embodying some of my improvements.Fig. 2 illustrates a modification. Fig. 3 shows my preferred method ofimproving the mantle. Fig. 4. illustrates a modiiication, and Figs. 5and 6 show two constructions of mantle.

Throughout the drawings like letters of reference indicate like orsimilar parts. The burner-tube is shown at B, the mantle at M, themantle-support at S, and the chim-v ney at C. The gallery and theburner, together with the mantle and chimney, of the usual Welsbach lampfit loosely down around a tube T, and rest upon the enlarged portion T.In the improved burner described in my other application just referredto I have set forth the use of an interposed spring D, upon which theburner, gallery, chimney, and mantle are supported, as indicated in Fig.l. The spring or springs D absorb or neutralize the eect of ver ticalvibrations or shocks,and as I have covered the use of such a spring inthe other application I make no unrestricted claim for the use of such aspring in this case but, as will be presently seen, the spring D, incombination with my improved mantle, produces a new and useful result,which I desire to protect in this application. The jars to which thelamps in railway-cars and in factories and some other locations aresubjected have heretofore been found so destructive to the mantles ofWelsbach and similar lights as to entirely prohibit their use in almostall cases. This is largely due to the eXtreme delicacy of the mantle orincandescent, which after it has been burned out amounts to little morethan a fabric of ashes.

To assist in the transportation of the mantles after they are burned,they have been impregnated with protective toughening material, such ascrystalline, which has been carefully applied by spraying or in someother delicate manner, and the mantle thereby rendered tough enough tostand transportation and application to the lamp. After being put inplace in the lamp iire is applied to the upperl part of the mantle andthe crystalline or other protective material burns out in a second ortwo, leaving the ash, which constitutes the light-giving body. The leastjarring of such a light, if constantly repeated, causes the breaking ordisintegration of the lower portion of the mantle, particularly where itcomes in contact or swings against the burner. Formerly similar troublesexisted in the upper portion of the mantle; but by means of the lightyielding support and special provisions for increasing the strength ofthe upper parts of the mantle (even at the expense of some loss ofbrilliancy at that point) the mantle has been rendered far more durableat that point than around the base. I find when supported by the spring,which, together with the friction of the tube T, absorbs the verticalvibrations,thereis little danger of breaking the upper end of themantle.

I have now devised a means of toughening the lower portion of themantle, so that it is even stronger than the upper end. My preferredmethod consists in the dipping of the mantle (before it is finallyburned out and put in use) into a solution of alum or otherdifcultly-combustible material. When such IOO a mantle is lighted, itburns out until it reaches the edge of the portion that has beenimpregnated with the incombustible material, and there the {iame stops,leaving the lower portion of the lnantle as tough and strong as beforeburning out. I prefer to dip the mantle to the depth shown in Fig. 8, sothat the upper margin of the portion protected against burning out willbe nearer or somewhat above the upper end of the burner-tube B. Insteadof a solution of alum in Water, which takes some little time to dry out,I may use a finelypowdered alum shaken up with alcohol or other fluid.The alcohol when it is used quickly evaporates, depositing the alum uponthe mantle. The protection afforded by the alum or other substance isnot a sharply-defined area, but seems to blend gradually into theunprotected portions, so that when burned out the delicate ash-like areaof the mantle merges gradually and in most desirable manner into theunburned protected area, rendering the mantle less likely to break thanif the ash-like portion and the tough unburned portions joined abruptly.

I may either protect the bottom portion of the mantle from burningbefore the cotton has been burned out in the irst instance or after thecotton has burned out and the mantle has been rendered tough byimpregnating it with crystalline or other material, which issubsequently burned out. Instead of dipping the mantle, as justdescribed, I may spray the incombustible fluid or otherwise apply it tothe mantle instead of by dipping before burning. Indeed, one of thechief1 distinguishing features of my invention is that the lower portionmay be (and preferably is) treated at a time when the mantle is in afairly tough state. I have also discovered that I may also burn out amantle from the top and leave an unburned portion around the bottom byinserting a plug of copper, asbestos, or any other material whichapproaches closely to the mantle and prevents the llame from burningdown around it. When a plug is inserted, as in Fig. 4t, and the mantlethen lighted from the top, the flame burns down readily to the upper endof the plug, but there (probably because of the heat-absorbing effect ofthe plug) the flame gradually dies out, leaving an unburned section atthe bottom. When in use in the lamp, the gas-flame does not raise thetemperature of the lower end of the mantle sufficiently to ignite it oreven carbonize the material, even if the original cotton is still leftin. I prefer, however, to have the lower edge of the mantle impregnatedwith non-combustible material, such as alum or other salt. lVh'ere anasbestos ring R is employed to protect the mantle against the lateralvibrations, as set forth in my other application, I find that if thering R fits into the mantle fairly closely it will act in the samemanner as the plug of Fig. 4t and prevent the burning out of the lowerend of the mantle when ignited after being placed upon the lamp, so thatit is possible under the present invention to either prepare the mantleat the factory by preventing the burning out of the cotton or, after thefirst burning-out and the impregnating of the mantle with crystalline orother material, to prevent the burning out of that by the ring placedlike the ring R, Fig. 2, or to impregnate the mantle by dipping orotherwise with a non-combustible material around its base,and therebyprevent the burning out.

As explained in my other application already mentioned, the ring R initself protects the mantle to a great extent against lateral vibrations,and in that application I have claimed the use of the ring R. Under thepresent invention I find that I can reinforce the thickness of thebottom of the mantle, as in Fig. 5, or provide a ring made from thelower edge of the mantle or otherwise secured to the mantle, as at M inFig. 6. Such a ring M' acts in a like manner to the ring R and servesthe same function of protecting the mantle against lateral vibration andalso holds it out of contact with the burner-tube B. Preferably, ofcourse, the reinforced or thickened lower end of the mantle, asin Figs.5 and 6, is protected from combustion, as already described. mantlewithout any reinforcement. lVhen such a mantle is protected fromcombustion around the bottom,the beading or projections, which areusually present around the burners of the W'elsbach lamps, serve todampen the vibration and prevent the more fragile portions of the mantlefrom coming in contact with the upper edge of the burner B.

By the expression incombustible substance which is used in thisapplication it must not be understood that I mean a substance whichcannot be burned, for I desire it to be explicitly understood that bynon-combustible substance I mean any substance which when introduced orapplied to the mantle in the manner described will prevent the burningout for the purposes which I have set forth.

Ilaving now stated my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is the following:

l. The mantle for Welsbach and other incandescent lights, provided withthe substantially incombustible and stronger lower portion.

2. As an article of manufacture, the mantle ready for burning out inaWelsbach, or other incandescent lamp, the said mantle being in partrendered incombustible, substantiallyas set forth.

3. The mantle for Welsbach, or other incandescent lamps, protected inpart against combustion by an incombustible substance, substantially asset forth.

4. In combination in a VVelsbach, or other incandescent lamp, and withthe burner thereof, the mantle extending down around the said burner,the lower portion of the said In Fig. l I have shown the IOO IIO

ble material, and thereafter burning out the I5 said mantle,substantially as set forth.

7. The improvement in the manufacture of Welsbaeh, or otherineandescents or mantles, by partially burning out the said mantles, butpreventing the combustion of a portion, 2o substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set .my hand this 24th day of July,1896.

LINCOLN MOSS.

lVitnesses:

GEORGE H. SoNNEBoRN, HAROLD BINNEY.

